Shannon Sharpe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Shannon Sharpe

Sharpe in 2012
No. 81, 84, 82
Position:	Tight end
Personal information
Born:	(1968-06-26) June 26, 1968 (age 56) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	228 lb (103 kg)
Career information
High school:	Glennville (Glennville, Georgia)
College:	Savannah State (1986–1989)
NFL Draft:	1990 / Round: 7 / Pick: 192
Career history
Denver Broncos (1990) Baltimore Ravens (2000) Denver Broncos (2002)
Career highlights and awards
3× Super Bowl champion (XXXII, XXXIII, XXXV) 4× First-team All-Pro (1993, 1996–1998) Second-team All-Pro (1995) 8× Pro Bowl (1992–1998, 2001) NFL 1990s All-Decade Team Denver Broncos Ring of Fame Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary Team First-team DII All-American (1989) SIAC Player of the Year (1987) 3× First-team All-SIAC (1987–1989) Savannah State Tigers No. 2 retired Savannah State Athletics Hall of Fame Black College Football Hall of Fame Most receiving yards by a tight end in a game: 214
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 815 Receiving yards: 10,060 Receiving touchdowns: 62
Player stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Shannon Sharpe (born June 26, 1968) is a famous American former football player. He played as a tight end for 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Most of his career was with the Denver Broncos. Many people think he is one of the best tight ends ever.

Shannon Sharpe holds impressive records for tight ends. He ranks third in catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns. He was also the first NFL tight end to gain over 10,000 receiving yards in his career. In 2011, he was honored by being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Sharpe played college football for the Savannah State Tigers. The Broncos picked him in the seventh round of the 1990 NFL draft. During his time with Denver, he was chosen for seven Pro Bowls in a row. He also won two Super Bowl championships with the Broncos. Later, he played for the Baltimore Ravens for two seasons, where he won another Super Bowl. After retiring, Shannon became a sports analyst for TV shows like The NFL Today on CBS Sports. He also co-hosted Skip and Shannon: Undisputed on Fox Sports 1.

Growing Up and College Years

Shannon Sharpe grew up in Glennville, Georgia. His older brother, Sterling Sharpe, was also a big NFL star. Shannon was a top athlete in high school, playing three different sports. He once joked about how poor his family was, saying, "We were so poor, a robber once broke into our house and we ended up robbing the robber."

At Savannah State University, Shannon played football and basketball. He also competed in track and field, doing jumping and throwing events. He was a standout football player in college. From 1987 to 1989, he was picked for the All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference team three times. In 1987, he was named the SIAC Player of the Year.

In 1989, Shannon was also chosen as a Kodak Division II All-American. He helped the Tigers football team have their best seasons ever. They finished 7–3 in 1988 and 8–1 in 1989. In his last year of college, Sharpe caught 61 passes for 1,312 yards and 18 touchdowns. He even had three games where he gained over 200 yards! He finished his college career with 192 catches, 3,744 yards, and 40 touchdowns. Because of his amazing college career, he was inducted into several Hall of Fames. These include the Division II Football Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2013. Savannah State University also retired his No. 2 jersey to honor him.

Playing in the NFL

Even with his great college career, many teams didn't think Shannon Sharpe would be a top player in the 1990 NFL draft. He played Division II college football, which is a lower level. Also, his size (6'2", 230 pounds) was seen as too big for a receiver but too small for a tight end. But the Denver Broncos still picked him in the seventh round. He was the 192nd player chosen.

For his first two seasons, Shannon played as a receiver and didn't catch many passes. Then, the Broncos decided to change his position to tight end. This was a great move! In his third season, he caught 53 passes. He stayed with Denver until 1999. During this time, he helped the Broncos win two Super Bowl championships: Super Bowl XXXII and Super Bowl XXXIII.

After his time with the Broncos, Shannon played for the Baltimore Ravens for two seasons. There, he won another Super Bowl ring at Super Bowl XXXV. After that, he returned to the Broncos and played until 2003. After the 2003 season, he retired from playing football. He then started a new career as an NFL analyst for CBS.

Ozzie Newsome, who was the Ravens' general manager, once said that Shannon was a big threat on the field. He said that teams often had to use two players to guard him. Newsome also said that Sharpe was great at running routes and making big plays. Shannon was chosen for the All-Pro Team four times. He also played in eight Pro Bowl games. He gained over 1,000 receiving yards in three different seasons.

In a playoff game in 1993 against the Los Angeles Raiders, Shannon tied a record. He caught 13 passes for 156 yards and scored a touchdown. In the 2000 AFC title game against the Oakland Raiders, he made an incredible play. He caught a short pass from his own 4-yard line and ran 96 yards for a touchdown! This was the only touchdown the Ravens scored in that game, and they won 16–3. This play is still the longest offensive play in Ravens' history. Shannon finished his 14-year career with 815 catches, 10,060 receiving yards, and 62 touchdowns in 203 games.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season

Playoff Games

Life After Football: TV and Podcasts

Super Bowl XLIV pre-game show: Dan Marino, Bill Cowher, and Shannon Sharpe (right)

After retiring from playing, Shannon Sharpe became a commentator for CBS Sports. He worked on their pregame show The NFL Today. He co-hosted with famous sports figures like James Brown, Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, and Bill Cowher. In 2014, Shannon left The NFL Today.

In 2013, Shannon also started writing columns for FitnessRX For Men magazine. He even appeared on their cover! He also hosted a morning radio show called Opening Drive on Sirius NFL Radio.

Shannon Sharpe was considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009. He was finally inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on February 6, 2011. This was a huge honor for his amazing career.

2011 NFL Hall of Famers, including Shannon Sharpe (back row, center), with 2011 NFL Draft Class invitees

After retirement, Shannon became very popular on social media. He is known for his fun personality and sports comments. He is a big fan of NBA player LeBron James. He often says LeBron is the greatest basketball player ever. He even appeared as himself in an episode of the TV show American Dad!.

In 2016, Shannon joined Skip Bayless on the FS1 sports debate show Skip and Shannon: Undisputed. On the show, he often defended LeBron James. He also shared his opinions about other famous athletes and teams. Shannon left Undisputed in May 2023.

Shannon also hosts his own podcasts. One is called Club Shay Shay. Another is Nightcap, which he hosts with Chad Ochocinco Johnson and Gilbert Arenas. His podcast Club Shay Shay has won awards and been recognized as one of the best.

In August 2023, Shannon announced that his Club Shay Shay podcast would join The Volume. This is a digital podcast network started by Colin Cowherd. The next day, it was announced that Shannon would join First Take as a regular guest. He appeared on the show every Monday and Tuesday during the 2023 NFL season. In 2024, Shannon signed a new contract with ESPN. This will allow him to have an even bigger role on First Take.